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J uamecoc BRYAN JOHNSTON Asst. Sports Editor ] 1 In a season when many magazines said it would be a mirade if the Gamecock football squad produced a winning record, USC proved everyone wrong by putting , together a 6-5 record. Despite their efforts, it looks as if the ' Gamecocks will be sitting at home this | winter break. With six teams from the Southeastern Conference qualifying for a bowl and only five bowl games open for SEC teamfe, one squad will be left out. Right now, it looks like that squad is Carolina. To qualify for a post-season bowl ' game, a team must win six games against Florida, llama, UT, LSU and Auburn. USC has done all that. Unfortunately, only five bowls (Alliance, Citrus, Outback, Peach and Independence) have spots reserved for SEC teams. Right now, the only hope for the Gamecocks to play in post-season would be if the Volunteers receive an at-large bid or if Alabama beat Florida Saturday. The Alliance takes the ACC, Big East, \ We're PI r-r? Bb EN ] pi cs>t?" O C< m< i.. niLicimi Department of Affairs/L k footba Rirr 10 on/1 Q1?P ^omniftno olnr?rr \x/i+V\ uig xtd aim uu\> uiuiu^iuuo uiviig t?ini two at-large teams selected by a panel. BYU, Colorado, Penn State and Tennessee are all vying for the two spots. The Cougars play Wyoming in the WAC Championship game Saturday, and if they win, they will be 13-1. This will almost assure them of one of the bids. If they lose' to the Cowboys, BYU would probably end up in the Cotton or the Holiday bowls. The other three schools have to wait and see who the Alliance picks. The Volunteers controlled their own destiny until they dropped a game to Memphis. The Vols haven't played up to their potential as of late, and with their record at 9-2, they are the longest shot of the remaining hopefuls. If BYU loses, that leaves the Buffaloes and the Nittany Lions for the two spots. Notre Dame was a sure-fire lock until they lost to Southern Cal last Saturday. At 8-3, it looks like Lou Holtz has coached his last game under the Golden Dome. Florida plays Alabama Saturday in the SEC Championship Game and BRYAN. ayin' Bas JTRIES OPI Mon.l 1/18 TRIES OLO Fri. 12/6 ENTRY FEE r* j>13 per team LAY START Sun. 1/19 Sign up in the ffice of Campi Recreation, 202 Blatt PE Center ill 777-5261 f ore informatio Sign up early iral Bas Student Life/Divisioi Jniversity of South C; SPO II must w Nebraska takes on Texas in the Big-12 Championship game. If the Crimson Tide can pull of the upset, Bama would get the Alliance bid. Many feel the Gators are strong enough for one of the at-large bids. r>..4. :ri.l~ n.i. j 1 l? dui 11 me uaiurs anu i>uniiiusimrs win, more than likely the finals polls will be, in order Florida State, Arizona State, Nebraska, Florida and Ohio State. If the Gators and Tide are selected for the Alliance, Tennessee, LSU and Auburn will be bumped up to the next highest SEC-affiliated bowl. That would make room for the Gamecocks to make their second appearance in a bowl in three years. If this scenario is the case, Carolina would play in the Poulan Weed Eater Independence bowl in Shreveport LA. "We're still under consideration from the Independence Bowl. They have expressed a strong interest in USC," USC's Assistant Athletics Director and Sports Information Director Kerry Tharp said. "They said that they will not make a decision until after the SEC The Univei known for the i support the tea Carolina fa most loyal fans the teams they \ ia n Vii a farinr the crowd supf JOHNSTON The Gamecock But this yei ketball... ?N SE s 7] or n* iketball a of Student irolina RTS fait, see. Championship Game. "We've had a great deal of communication with the Independence Bowl. We've even had fans call down to | the bowl officials asking about accommodations. They are fully aware of our interest," Tharp said. The way the Bowl Alliance is set up, number one takes on number two. Since ASU and OSU are in conferences that don't participate in the Alliance (Big Ten and PAC-10), they are out. | That means FSU and Nebraska would meet for the National Championship in the Sugar Bowl. The no. 3-team takes on the no. 5team, meaning Florida and Colorado would meet in the Fiesta Bowl. The fourth-ranked team takes on the sixth-ranked team in the Orange Bowl. Therefore, Virginia Tech probably would meet Penn State. Here's a look at the other 15 bowls to be played and who the likely teams are in them: Las Vegas Bowl, 9 p.m. Dec. 19. *y be enough? TON Asst. Sports Editor sity of South Carolina has long been excellence in academics and athletics, ter, one of the key ingredients is the tms get. ns are regarded as some of the finest, i in the nation. When the bowls select vant to play in their game, crowd support t will be more critical than ever, with n vying for the SECs spot in the Poulan dependence Bowl, h the Tigers beat the Gamecocks headand have a better record (Auburn is 7the Gamecocks are relying heavily on ley can sell their allotment of tickets. ; a smaller bowl, many Tiger fans might i to Shreveport, LA. , when it came down to two teams for have picked the Gamecocks even though have been the better team because of >ort. ar, will they be enough? US Toj STE s pr?-eS poor Wear worko Office of Campus Recreation, I Alcohol and Drug Progams, Ur Atliletic Club, r w I until 1 1 IS Now Open in |D) Five Points IH) I Thi about bov Big West #1 vs. Mid-American #1 Nevada vs. Ball State c If only all matchups were this easy. ( Aloha Bowl, 3:30 p.m. Dec. 25. s Big-12 #6 vs. Pac-10 #4 t Texas Tech (prob.) vs. California t Since the vaunted Big-12 produced I a mere five bowl eligible teams, the organizers will have to scramble for Cal's opponent if Nebraska falls to Texas, but still is an Alliance pick. Liberty Bowl, 3 p.m. Dec. 27. Conf. USA #1 vs. Big East #4 ' Houston vs. Syracuse Hurricanes blew Orangemen all the way from Miami to Memphis with last j week's upset. , Carquest Bowl, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 27. ( Big East #3 vs. ACC #4 J Miami vs. Virginia Hometown boys didn't exactly fill up the Orange Bowl this season, but they're coming off an upset of Syracuse and will ^ duel with a quicksilver UVa team. ( Copper Bowl, 9 p.m. Dec. 27. f WAC #2 vs. Big 12 #5 Wyoming, BYU or Utah vs. undet. Football play for academic Staff W?poft? Carolina football players are proving that they can get the job done not only on the gridiron, but also in the classroom. USC placed eight players on the SEC Academic Honor Roll as announced by Commissioner Roy Kramer Monday. The eight players named were sophomore Chad Barnhardt, juniors Scott Beebe, Shane Burnham, Ed Hrubiec and Ryan Koop and seniors Jason Lawson, Reed Morton and Gerrick Taylor. To be eligible for the award a student-athlete must 1.) have a 3.0 grade point average for either the past year (two semesters or three quartern) or for his career; 2.) be a sophomore or higher in academic classification; Marine Corps Resei 1 iP with the Stepping S; pecial Holiday Aerobics Cla< 5:30pm - 7:00pm, Tonight USC PE Center Gym 308 at clothes and BRIN' sponsors Vlarine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots, Di liversal Copies, Palmetto Promotions, L< California Dreaming, Todd & Moore, S hat to we sandal se; JIRKENSTOCK The original comfort shoe. mmm ninnKHHnvnffSHnffivvaiRiTV1 Mn* J.rPl ri sMlM fiHlffFlWi BdyMAiJHMAAUUaHUIiliaAkAiMA ursday, December 5, 1996 vl game If the Cowboys trip BYU in the onference title game, this is where the Cougars might land. At 8-3, Utah is a safer bet. Assuming Texas Tech is Aloha>ound, organizers will have t o s i f t hrough unranked teams. I Peach Bowl, 8 p.m. Dec. 28. ACC #3 vs. SEC#4 Clemson vs. LSU (probable) Tigers vs. Tigers, both with wild-and:razy followings and national titles in heir past. I Alamo Bowl, 8 p.m. Dec. 29. Big 12 #4 vs. Big Ten #4 Iowa or Michigan vs. Texas or T.T. Based on their conference record, the dawkeyes should be headed for the Cutback Bowl. But they didn't beat Ohio state in Columbus at the end of the year. | Holiday Bowl, 8 p.m. Dec. 30. WAC #1 or PAC-10 #2 vs. Big 12 #3 Wyo., BYU or Wash. vs. Colo, (prob.) Here's BYU's consolation prize if it jets snubbed by both the Alliance and Cotton Bowls. Here's the Buffaloes salve 'or their Wolverine wounds. BOWLS pag? 9 ers honored successes and 3.) have 24 semester hours or 26 quarter hours countable toward a degree. Barnhardt, a quarterback, holds a 3.371 grade point average in Business Marketing. Beebe, a long snapper, holds a 3.800 gpa in Sports Administration. BBumham, a linebacker, holds a 3.081 gpa in Exercise Science. Hrubiec, an offensive lineman, holds a 3.137 gpa in Sports Administration. Koop, a linebacker, holds a 3.233 gpa in Sports Administration. Lawson, a tight end, holds a 3.148 gpa in Exercise Science. Morton, a place kicker, holds a 3.877 gpa in Interdisciplinary Studies. Taylor, a linebacker, holds a 3.133 gpa in Sports Administration. rves tots antas >s *>ee T-shirt, Cr A TOY!! epartment of Housing, Office of anghom Steakhouse, Stronghold ounds Familiar nana tai I ason. I ?mphis ? U 631 Harden Street n Beside Yesterday's $ 254-9488 % g B * % I *